Devices such as smartphones and tablet computers have become an important accessory, and perhaps even a vital accessory, for many people. These devices can store large amounts of a person's data such as a music collection, documents, contacts, notes, reminders, calendar dates, pictures, video, and much more. These devices may include many different application programs or apps that people have bought for the device such as productivity apps, games, news apps, and so forth.
A key feature of such devices is that they are small and relatively lightweight. Thus, people typically carry these devices throughout the day such as to work, meetings, appointments, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and so forth. It can be very easy to lose, misplace, or have such a device stolen. Generally, people will be upset if they lose such a device because these devices can be very expensive and difficult to replace especially if they contain important data.
Therefore, there is a need to provide systems and techniques to help people find their missing devices.